Long Island warming centers hope to bring relief for those without a home amid bitter blast

The Metropolitain Transportation Authority is leaving waiting rooms open throughout the night so people without a place to stay can go inside to get warm.

News 12 Staff

Feb 4, 2023, 1:29 AM

Updated 440 days ago

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Warming centers are open across Long Island as dangerously cold temperatures and strong winds are making it hard for people to stay outside.
A warming center at Mitchell Field in Uniondale is open 24 hours a day. There are several others across the Island there are also open to keep people safe.
The Metropolitain Transportation Authority is leaving waiting rooms open throughout the night so people without a place to stay can go inside to get warm.
News 12 spoke with one person who said she was hoping to stay at a relative's home for the night.
"My concern is to get me some shelter, to where I won't be out in the cold tonight," says Cindy. "That's my main concern, but it's hard out here. You don't find nothing out here."
The INN, a soup kitchen in Hempstead, also had extended hours Friday to serve warm meals to hundreds of guests. After they finished their food, each person was asked if they had a place to stay.
"We're also doing an assessment of everyone who's coming in and doubly asking them, 'Are you OK, are you safe for the weekend? Do you have enough heat where you live,'" says The Inn Executive Director Jean Kelly.
If you or someone you know is out in the cold and does not have a place to stay, call 911 and first responders will help you find a shelter.
Police in both Nassau and Suffolk county have been instructed to be on the lookout for people who may need help and offer to bring them to either a shelter or a warming center.


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